


Dancing in the Dark

by botanicapoetica



Series: Dustin is Smart [2]
Category: Stranger Things (TV 2016)
Genre: Billy is a giant nerd, Fluff, Gen, M/M, Mostly Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-11-21
Updated: 2017-11-21
Packaged: 2019-02-05 06:21:07
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 905
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12788658
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/botanicapoetica/pseuds/botanicapoetica
Summary: Dustin had seen some pretty surprising shit in his life, especially over the last year. This might have been the greatest shit yet.





	Dancing in the Dark

**Author's Note:**

> Could not get this image out of my head and also Steve deserves to feel light hearted, here you go!
> 
> pls feel free to comment your thoughts/ideas, or hit me up on my tumblr of the same name

Dustin, Max, Mike, and Lucas were piled up in Nancy’s dad’s car on a sunny Saturday heading for Steve’s house. It was Steve’s birthday today and Steve’s parents were, as usual, out of town. Dustin knew Steve didn’t really go out and party anymore, not since everything had happened, so Dustin thought they could bring a party to him. Nancy had thought it was a sweet idea and offered to drive them, planning on asking Jonathan to come meet them there some time later. The trunk of the car was filled with chips, stuff for burgers, sodas, and some beers they'd each snuck out of their respective fridges for the 'adults' present. Dustin was really excited, but also nervous. 

Steve deserved something nice for his birthday, and he definitely deserved a break. Dustin couldn't understand how Steve did it sometimes. He'd gotten into the Upside Down shit with, well yeah hysterics but who wouldn't, but then some true heroism. He took care of the party and didn't ask for anything in return. Steve helped Dustin build up his confidence and acted like the cool older brother Dustin had always wanted but never had. He always had something nice but nonchalant to say, always knew how to cheer everybody up, always offered rides and pizza and girl advice to the guys. He showed Max how to braid her hair when she was too mortified to ask her mom and didn't worry about anyone making fun of him, almost like he didn't care if they did.

He was a good person inside and out, and Dustin knew he deserved a nice surprise. Steve's parents were basically never home and just mailed him expensive shit most of the time, probably hadn't even wished him a happy birthday today. Dustin hated imagining Steve alone in that big, beautiful house every day and night, leaving it to help other people all of the time. It wasn't fair. 

Dustin was shaken from his thoughts when they parked in front of Steve's house, all of them tumbling out after each other. 

"This would've been way easier if your asshole brother had offered to drive some of us, Max." Dustin called from the trunk, reaching all the way to the back to grab a bag. 

"Yeah, well, he said he was gonna be busy all day this morning before I could tell him anything. I could probably guilt him into driving us to the arcade tomorrow, though." Max said with a shrug, suddenly at his side to help grab bags of chips. 

Sometimes Dustin wondered what Billy did in his spare time. Probably smashed mailboxes and made babies cry for fun. Whatever. 

Dustin headed to the front door, grabbing the spare key from under the mat, and unlocked it for everyone. When they all walked through, there was music positively blaring from Steve's room upstairs. "Hey guys, go get everything started and I'll get Steve, looks like he's doing some kind of lame solo party up there." Dustin said, setting down his bag in the kitchen and walking up the stairs two at a time, stopping abruptly at the top when he heard a voice that definitely wasn't Steve's.

"-the bullshit, Harrington, you know this is the yuppie battle cry you probably sing in your sleep, c'mon.."

"No fucking way, oh my god." 

That last voice was definitely Steve, but he sounded like he was only trying to be serious. Dustin snuck closer to the open door, hoping to get a peek at what was going on before he could get spotted. He got a good look, alright, and just about stopped himself from crying with laughter only because he was frozen in confused shock.

Billy Hargrove was dancing. In Steve's bedroom. Wearing a leather jacket with no shirt underneath, aviators balanced on his head and a cigarette in his mouth. But he wasn't cool dancing, he was dancing like a fucking idiot. "Dancing in the Dark" was blasting so loud that Steve and Billy had been shouting over it to communicate, but Billy suddenly feigned being unable to hear Steve's words and twirled. He was doing the most exaggerated Springsteen impression Dustin had ever seen, a look of complete seriousness on his face, and Steve...

Well.

Steve was laughing so hard his eyes were a little wet, his shoulders loose, his body relaxed aside from the amused claps he was doing at a particularly stupid move. He didn't look tired, he didn't look overwhelmed, and he didn't look sad. He looked…at ease. And Dustin, being the super smart person he was, knew that this was all Billy's doing. This is what he must've been busy doing when he'd told Max this morning. Billy fucking Hargrove had dedicated his day to Steve Harrington. For his birthday. 

Dustin, contrary to what he wanted to do, decided to quietly go back down the stairs. He made a show of opening and slamming the door closed, yelling out a loud, "STEVE! HAPPY BIRTHDAY! WE'RE COOKING IN THE KITCHEN, COME DOWN" as though they'd all just gotten there. Dustin was smart, so he knew it wouldn't have been fair to interrupt, or to rat them out if this was something Billy didn't want known. Probably more because of Max's stepdad than his pride, Dustin thought. But still. 

He sort of regrets not seeing what Billy Hargrove's reaction would've been but it was, after all, Steve's birthday. 


End file.
